Average Reviews:(More customer reviews)I've read through all the reviews and since the storyline hasn't been mentioned, I thought I'd do so. These books are quite the hit in our house with our little one. In this adventure, two Wemmicks Nip and Tuck start a little competition in who has the neatest box. They then try to top each other by adding balls to their boxes. Pretty soon, the other townspeople decided that they have to have the prettiest boxes and balls as well, and they carry them around so that everyone can see just how many beautiful boxes and balls they have. Punchinello, at the consternation of his friends, buys into this scenario and eventually, winds up selling EVERYTHING that he has, including his house, to buy all the boxes and balls that he can. Finally, the mayor's wife decides that to be the best, you have to stand on the highest hillside and/or mountain to show off your "stuff." So, all the Wemmicks climb up the mountain, including Punch, to try to be the best of all. However, Punchinello winds up going off the path since he can scarcely carry, let alone see where he's going, with all his boxes and balls. He therefore, stumbles into Eli's workshop where he drops all of his boxes and balls. Realizing just where he was, Punch is too embarassed to look at his maker and just initially lies on the floor, face down amongst all his "things." After Eli calls his name, he sheepishly looks up and a discussion begins after Eli asks Punch if all those things really makes him happy. Punch says they do not, only Eli makes him happy. Eli also asks Punch to look out the window to see all the Wemmicks climbing and falling up the hill, trying to be the best. He asks Punch if he thinks that Eli made Wemmicks to act like that (i.e., scurrying around, literally making fools out of themselves for material goods that mean nothing but "status" to them. They don't use the boxes and balls, they just carry them around. They discard their friends, family just for "things."). Punch says "no," because he knows that Eli made all Wemmicks to be with him and love him just as Punch does. One of the neatest parts of this book is the very end when Punch turns to go but realizes that since he sold his bed and his house, that he has no place left to go. So, he asks his Maker, Eli, if he can spend the night there. Of course Eli says yes and the last page is little Punch, curled up all snug and warm sound asleep in his Maker's house. Wow... Is there any place safer that feels like home? Nope! That's just so neat. Lucado did an excellent job on painting the feeling behind the "warm fuzzies" in that last paragraph. Here's another meaning for this story - no matter how far you stray, no matter what you do, the Maker is still there waiting for you to come home.Highly recommend!

Bigger, better, more is how the world determines who's special and who's not. It's a message your kids are hearing every day. But it's not God's message.

His truth is simple and never-changing: It's not what you have, it's Whose you are. And it's a truth that the lovable Wemmick, Punchinello, hears again at the knee of his creator in this faithful, fully illustrated sequel to You Are Special.

Punchinello's lesson in love will help you speak God's heart to the heart of every child: You are special, not because of the things you have, but because you are Mine.